Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Read more
It’s a mouthwatering US restaurant ranking – a league table of the finest fine-dining experiences in the land rustled up by renowned foodie website laliste.com.
Each year, the site analyzes thousands of publications, hundreds of guidebooks and millions of online reviews to produce a ranked compendium of the very best restaurants, with each assigned a score out of 100. Philippe Faure, Founder and CEO, said: “Like a drone flying over the gastronomic planet, La Liste draws on the methods of artificial intelligence to synthesize opinions and reviews.”
Here, we present the 25 highest-placed American eateries that make the global, 1,000-strong list for 2025, from The French Laundry to a Disney World establishment with a Michelin star.
If you want to know where to book to celebrate a birthday, wedding anniversary or simply to discover out-of-this-world cooking, look no further, with the top entries listed in reverse order.
Jont, Washington, DC. Score – 92
Here guests are taken on “a journey through flavors and textures”, with head chef Ryan Ratino and his team “showcasing the beauty of luxurious ingredients from around the world… with a special nod to the elegance of Japanese cuisine”.
The restaurant has held two Michelin stars since 2021, with the guide describing eating a meal here as “an experience like nothing else in the city”.
Tasting menu – $375 per person. jontdc.com
Atera, New York. Score – 92
This two-Michelin-star gem on Worth St offers a counter dining experience that the guide’s visiting inspector describes as “immersive”, with guests treated to “beguiling courses with global accents”.
Tripadvisor plaudits? There’s positive feedback by the bucketload, with one recent diner gushing that it’s a “complete gem”.
Tasting Menu – $298. ateranyc.com
Read more: The ultimate New York City guide
Ever, Chicago. Score – 92.5
open image in gallery
Chef Curtis Duffy hard at work in his Ever kitchen (Michael Muser)
There’s plenty of hype about Ever on its website, which tells guests-in-waiting that they’re in for an “epic dining experience” at chef Curtis Duffy’s “creative obsession”.
Does Curtis deliver? You betcha. Ever has two Michelin stars and unrelenting praise on Yelp, with reviewer “Albert K” describing his experience there as “luxurious dining”. He adds that it makes his top five restaurants list – from over 1,000 places he’s eaten at.
Tasting menu – $325. ever-restaurant.com
Per Se, New York. Score – 92.5
This three-Michelin-star New York fine-dining haven by legendary chef Thomas Keller is a must for any self-respecting foodie.
Located in the Deutsche Bank Center, it offers “spectacular” views of Columbus Circle and Central Park. But the Michelin Guide stresses that “your attention won’t stray from the plate”.
Tasting menu – $425. thomaskeller.com
Oriole, Chicago. Score – 92.5
Housed in a former warehouse, guests enter Oriole through a converted freight elevator, then enjoy the fruits of chef Noah Sandoval’s industry, which is worthy of two Michelin stars and prompts undiluted outpourings of praise on Tripadvisor. Almost every rating is five-star and one recent visitor said they fly to Chicago just to eat at Oriole.
Tasting menu – $325. oriolechicago.com
Gabriel Kreuther, New York. Score – 93
open image in gallery
Chef Gabriel Kreuther’s cashew mushroom parfait (Gabriel Kreuther)
Chef Gabriel, we’re told, “blends his Alsatian heritage with innovative twists”. The result? A two-Michelin-star menu that includes the likes of “cashew mushroom parfait” and “sturgeon tart”.
Menu options from $190. gknyc.com
Victoria & Albert’s, Walt Disney World Resort, Florida. Score – 93.5
open image in gallery
A Victoria & Albert’s chef applies the finishing touch to one of the restaurant’s Michelin-starred dishes (Steven Diaz, Photographer)
Walt Disney Resort? Yes, you read that right. At Victoria & Albert’s in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa an “epicurean odyssey awaits”, according to the restaurant’s website, with diners enjoying dishes such as venison carpaccio and red cabbage “sandwiches” and “cherry-cola” sauces in an elegant dining room with a garden theme.
Sceptical? Believe the hype. The restaurant has earned a Michelin star and wide-ranging plaudits on social media.
Tasting menu – $375. disneyworld.co.uk
Read more: How I found love at Florida’s Walt Disney World
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Tarrytown, New York. Score – 93.5
Chef Dan Barber’s operation here has two Michelin stars and a “dramatically presented” menu drawn from produce supplied by 64 local farms and day boat fishermen off Long Island.
Tasting menu – $350. bluehillfarm.com
Jungsik, New York. Score – 94.5
This three-star Korean restaurant drew breathless superlatives from the Michelin inspector, who describes the cooking as “impeccably executed”.
Dishes? Think dry-aged Arctic char in a kimchi and red curry sauce, and chilled fish bone broth.
Signature menu – $295. jungsik.com
Jean-Georges, New York. Score – 95
Jean-Georges Vongerichten runs 60 restaurants worldwide – but this eatery, at 1 Central Park West, is the crème de la crème of his culinary empire, with two Michelin stars and four stars from the New York Times.
A true bucket-list entry on Laliste.com.
Tasting menu – $298. jean-georgesrestaurant.com
Guy Savoy, Las Vegas. Score – 95
open image in gallery
Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas scores an impressive 95 percent on the laliste.com ranking (Restaurant Guy Savoy)
An “artful blend of French gastronomy and contemporary flair” awaits guests at Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas, which used to hold two Michelin stars when the guide ranked Vegas eateries.
Read more: How you can enjoy Las Vegas without entering a casino
open image in gallery
Alinea’s remarkable, edible helium balloon (The Alinea Group)
Guy Savoy also claims a silver medal spot in the global list, with Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris earning an incredible score of 99.5.
Tasting menu – $555. caesars.com
Alinea, Chicago. Score – 95
Novelty is the name of the game at this three-Michelin-starred temple of dining, where Chef Grant Achatz conjures up liquid-nitrogen-frozen blocks of chocolate mousse, fish eggs suspended in smoke gel and edible helium balloons.
Tasting menu from $210. alinearestaurant.com
Smyth, Chicago. Score – 95.5
open image in gallery
Diners will experience “explosions of flavors” at Smyth (Galdones Photography)
Over to Yelp reviewer Elizabeth H for a summation of the food at three-star Smyth – “explosions of flavor, texture and creativity”.
And the service? “Perfection”.
Tasting menu – $420. smythandtheloyalist.com
Harbor House Inn, Elk, California. Score – 95.5
open image in gallery
Harbor House Inn chef Matthew Kammerer delivers “highly original” food (Harbor House Inn)
This Mendocino County two-star restaurant is in a Pacific coast setting to die for (behold the incredible ocean rock formations) and offers food that’s heavenly.
The Michelin Guide describes the cooking by head chef Matthew Kammerer as “highly original”, noting that the ingredients are often harvested from the immediate surrounds. Seaweed, for instance, comes from the nearby shoreline, while lace lichen is plucked from overhanging neighborhood trees.
Tasting menu – $325. theharborhouseinn.com
Benu, San Francisco. Score – 95.5
open image in gallery
Chef Corey Lee has earned Benu three Michelin stars (Eric Wolfinger)
At three-star Benu, Chef Corey Lee and his team relentlessly pursue excellence, declares the Michelin Guide, with diners offered a tasting menu “as ambitious as any in the country”.
Tasting menu – $390. benusf.com
Addison, San Diego. Score – 95.5
open image in gallery
Addison’s chicken liver churro (Addison)
Diners can expect “playful but polished” food at this three-star Southern Californian oasis, according to the Michelin Guide, with the inspector delighted by Chef William Bradley’s “riff on chips and dips” and the “Kumamoto oysters with pickled green strawberry”.
Tripadvisor’s reviewers are impressed, too, with one recalling being “pampered like royalty”.
Tasting menu – $385. addisondelmar.com
Saison, San Francisco. Score – 96
open image in gallery
Saison has two coveted Michelin stars (Adahlia Cole and Colin Peck)
Saison Head Chef Richard Lee is “inspired by the culinary diversity of Northern California and is dedicated to purity and innovation”, we’re told, with a spokesperson for the two-Michelin-star restaurant adding: “His approach to cooking with live fire is personal and intuitive. And each course rotates with the seasons.
“A few favorites include wild antelope from Broken Arrow ranch in south Texas and rabbit from Pescadero.”
Tasting menu – $328. saisonsf.com
Joel Robuchon, Las Vegas. Score – 96
Eating at Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas is no gamble, with Tripadvisor reviewers describing the food here as “sensational” and the service “perfection”.
Tasting menu – $225. jrobuchon.com
Atomix, New York. Score – 96
A reservation at this Korean restaurant is one of New York’s most coveted, according to the Michelin Guide, which awarded it two stars. What can diners expect? “Korean traditions prepared with finesse and flair.”
Tasting menu – $395. atomixnyc.com
Read more: Best New York hotels 2025
The Inn at Little Washington, Virginia. Score – 96.5
The Inn at Little Washington was once a humble garage and is now, states its website, a “world-renowned culinary destination” with three Michelin stars. What can you expect? The restaurant says: “A dream you don’t want to wake up from.”
Tasting menu – $265. theinnatlittlewashington.com
The French Laundry, Yountville, California. Score – 97
Thomas Keller’s three-star Napa Valley restaurant is the “perfect storm of restaurant greatness”, according to the Michelin Guide, which strongly intimates that diners will be blown away by every course they try. Good luck getting a reservation!
Tasting menu – $425. thomaskeller.com/tfl
Atelier Crenn, San Francisco. Score – 97
open image in gallery
Expect “poetic” food at Atelier Crenn (Jason Bowman)
The dairy-free, pescatarian tasting menu by Atelier Crenn head chef Dominique Crenn gets three stars from the Michelin inspectors and a plethora of social media plaudits.
One Tripadvisor reviewer describes the menu as “poetic” and “created to inspire your senses”.
Tasting menu – $475. ateliercrenn.com
Daniel, New York. Score – 98.5
open image in gallery
Daniel offers classic French cuisine (Thomas Schauer)
This one-star Upper East Side restaurant has been a hotspot for over 30 years, with diners arriving to celebrate special occasions and broker deals, notes the Michelin Guide. What to expect on the food and beverage front? Classic French cuisine and “impressive” wine.
Tasting menu – $295. danielnyc.com
Joint first – SingleThread in Healdsburg, California. Score – 99.5
open image in gallery
“Impeccable” cooking awaits at SingleThread (Garrett Rowland)
SingleThread offers three different 10-course menu options – vegetarian, pescatarian and omnivore, which are “tailored to guests’ preferences, the season and what is being harvested from the SingleThread farm”, the restaurant tells The Independent.
Michelin stars? Of course – three of them. The famous guide describes the cooking as “impeccable” and the Sonoma Wine Country location as “bucolic loveliness”.
Tasting menu – $475 per person. singlethreadfarms.com
Joint first – Le Bernardin in New York. Score – 99.5
open image in gallery
Le Bernardin shares first place in the USA ranking with SingleThread (Le Bernardin)
It’ll take as long to read through the accolades for Le Bernardin and its French head chef, Eric Ripert, as it does to enjoy a meal there.
The bite-sized summary for this iconic seafood specialist? It has three Michelin stars, four stars from The New York Times and 75 percent of Tripadvisor reviews are five-star.
Chef’s tasting menu – $350 per person. le-bernardin.com